Daniel 3:16–28

16 aShadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter.

17 “1If it be so, our aGod whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; 2and bHe will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

18 “aBut even if He does not, blet it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Daniel’s Friends Protected

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with awrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered 1by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated.

20 He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire.

21 Then these men were tied up in their 1atrousers, their 2coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire.

22 For this reason, because the king’s 1command was 2aurgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego.

23 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, afell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and awalking about in the midst of the fire 1without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the bgods!”

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the aMost High God, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego bcame out of the midst of the fire.

27 The asatraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the bfire had no 1effect on 2the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their 3ctrousers 4damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.

28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the aGod of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has bsent His angel and delivered His servants who put their ctrust in Him, 1violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as dnot to serve or worship any god except their own God.